They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. I’ll add that video is worth a million. As professional trainers, we offer our services in a time where modern technology can be our best friend. A baseline video here, a quick video of us working with our client and their animal there, send the video right away to the client as a supportive tutorial for their library, et voilà! How wonderful is that?
When Marjie Alonso generously approached me to take on the exciting role of animal husbandry content editor, I literally jumped at the chance to collaborate with my like-minded and talented colleagues in the IAABC team.
My professional animal care and training background began with learning from exotic animals. Our daily training sessions included husbandry care, because husbandry is such a vital part of looking after the wellbeing of exotics. So, carrying this philosophy to everyday interactions with pet owners is an easy and enjoyable transition for me.
Thanks for joining me and the IAABC team while we do our best to showcase the excellent work being done out there!
In this first series of videos, I’ll be focusing on techniques to help dogs and cats cooperate in their veterinary care. This includes training to make medical procedures—even uncomfortable ones like suture removal—possible with no restraint or sedation, and conditioning cats to take pills. Restraint is a critical part of exceptional animal care, but more on that topic coming in later videos! With just a couple of basic tricks and a strong history of positive reinforcement, dogs and cats can become willing participants in their own care, and our clients can be spared stressful interactions with their beloved companions.
Video 1: Training your pet to take medication
Dr. Colleen Koch provides an excellent video tutorial that helps teach creative strategies when administering medication to domestic cats. She uses progressive approximations of the desired behavior—taking a pill from a pill popper—to shape the cat whilst keeping the interaction enjoyable.
(Video courtesy of Colleen S. Koch, DVM, ACVB Behavior Resident, Mizzou Animal Behavior Clinic, University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine)
One approximation that I observed to be especially beneficial is allowing the cat to lick the reinforcer off the pill popper. The final goal behavior is to gulp the medication down while it is encased in the wet food, which eventually occurs. Her helpful video and narrative of the shaping process provides a real-world look into the challenges that accompany medicating cats.
Video 2: Chin rest for veterinary and grooming care
Scotti Harvey from Why Runamuck Animal Training and Behavior showcases the many benefits of teaching this fun behavior.
The canine chin rest provides the opportunity for the puppy or dog to choose to engage. Offering the chin rest is the green light to advance in additional, small approximations. The dog lifting his head, shifting his body backward, or walking away are our cues as the handler that we should stop the procedure. Talk about clear two-way communication! Can you count how many husbandry behaviors she included in this short video?
When I reached out to my colleagues for chin rest videos, Scotti immediately sent over the current goals she is working on with a client’s dog. The manner in which she slowly introduced the towel as the target for the chin rest, then each prop (scissors, muzzle, hands for touching the ear and head) set the tone for their success. It is also important that we take quick breaks, cue simple, fluent behaviors, and plan short sessions while building on duration in the husbandry sequence. Excellent teamwork!
Video 3: Chin rest for suture removal
This video highlights the collaboration with our veterinary team at Medical District Veterinary Clinic at Illinois (and extension teaching location of University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine). I have been teaching Santino, my Rhodesian ridgeback, many husbandry behaviors since he was a puppy. So when he needed to have a small bump removed from his back, we took it as a teaching opportunity to enhance and advance on our chin rest behavior. Dr. Drew Sullivan agreed to remove three sutures from Santino’s back while he offered a chin rest behavior.
What built the momentum for our team success? We studied for the test before taking the exam live!
- We practiced a suture removal mockup procedure at home.
- I integrated a second person into these quick sessions to play the role of the veterinarian.
- We took frequent breaks with the chin rest approximations to cue simple, fluent behaviors like play bows, spins, and hand targets.
- Clear communication: Dr. Sullivan knew that I would click after each suture removal and then treat Santino. The click serves two purposes: to reinforce Santino and to cue Dr. Sullivan to stop the procedure.
- No surprises: the introduction of a second person means the animal should see them first! If Dr. Sullivan came up from behind, it would only be natural to expect Santino to back out of his chin rest position to assess his environment and make sure he’s still comfortable.
- Treat placement: I would toss the treat away from Santino to help him adjust his body in a comfortable manner. It is important for Santino to have a comfortable distribution of his body weight, which the chin rest allows.
- I trained for distractions, which meant Santino could keep offering his chin rest amidst the background noise of construction in the next room.
- I reinforced Santino with high value treats!
It is an exciting time to be a professional trainer, for both the animals and for our clients. When pet owners see what we can achieve, we then represent the many possibilities that can be accomplished with positive care, management, training and collaboration.
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Mike is an emerging animal behaviorist sitting in Minnesota in the US. He carries an MSc in social science research methods (U. of Kentucky) and brings a passion for understanding how the methods we favor shape the knowledge we privilege. Coming from careers in teaching and non-profit program evaluation, he found companion animal behavior by accident helping anxious feline friends in a unique shelter in Ohio. It is a privilege and a joy to combine these and advance the journal in this exciting time of growth.
Alexandra is a certified dog behavior consultant and holds a PhD in neuroscience. She has spent over a decade in academic research and is author of numerous scientific articles on different aspects of brain development, including olfaction, neurogenesis, and memory formation. Her work as a behavior consultant focuses on creating trusting relationships between humans and their dogs through communication, respect, and science-based knowledge. Alexandra is very dedicated to promoting more science within the dog training world. She supports dog guardians and professionals to build a solid understanding of scientific principles and provides guidance on how to apply these to life with dogs. She runs Canine Mindscape in Alicante, Spain.
I’m an Argentinean-Italian dog trainer and CSAT who spent eight amazing years in Brazil learning and working with dogs. Now based in Europe, I volunteer with the IAABC as a translator and, in my free time, help rehomed dogs settle into their new families. I love bridging languages—and hearts—between people and their dogs.
I’m a translator, editor and journalist, as well as canine educator for children and families, specialized in canine body language. I am part of the IAABC Family since 2019, as Language Director at the IAABC and Translators Team Lead at the IAABC Foundation, at the moment. I volunteer at local shelters and promote bite prevention and animal welfare at schools and events all over my country, Uruguay.
I’m a Chilean veterinarian and certified dog trainer, based in Madrid and working at a veterinary clinic. I’ve been volunteering with the IAABC and the IAABC Foundation for over seven years. In my free time, I help dogs and their guardians strengthen their bond, and I love spending quality time with my own dogs.
Master’s Degree in Natural Sciences, with a strong interest in environmental sustainability and the protection of natural ecosystems. Passionate about writing and science communication, she collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on research projects, such as Equine International, and with non-profit initiatives in the environmental and cultural fields. She is writing for different magazines, including IAABC Foundation. Her major goal is to improve horse’s welfare through behaviour research and empirical practice.
Adrienne Hovey is the copy editor for the IAABC Foundation journal and the owner of 
I believe that knowledge from a wide range of disciplines fosters a more empathetic, curious, and engaging world. I am passionate about social, environmental, and minority rights issues (both human and non-human), and this has invariably led me down the road of multi-species anthropology. Perpetually curious about the world we live in, I hope to contribute towards making the world a kinder place for all of us earthlings to live on!
Beckie Wheldon is based in England, UK, and has been supporting the IAABC Foundation Journal team as a volunteer journal content editor since early 2025. She has a BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare, and has recently completed a MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour. With a passion for both practical and theory, Beckie is proud to be a part of the journal submission journey and support the process of applied animal behaviour information and research getting from our writers to the readers. As her full-time career, Beckie is currently part of the UK veterinary charity, PDSA, as a Learning and Development Business Partner for Veterinary, where she supports the professional development of people in their Veterinary Hospitals. Her last position was with the rescue charity, Dogs Trust, as a Canine Behavioural Welfare Manager, where she worked on embedding evidence-based behavioural welfare best practices throughout policy and practices, with both internal and external professional stakeholders, such as the police and military. With a varied background in kennels, caregiver education, and charity dog training classes, Beckie is also an accredited Animal Training Instructor (APDT UK) and an Associate Clinical Animal Behaviourist (APBC).
Erin Jones, PhD, IAABC-ADT, CDBC, CPDT-KA, CANZ-ATI, CANZ-ABC, is the Journal Director of the IAABC Foundation Journal. She holds a PhD in Human–Animal Studies, an MSc in Anthrozoology, a PG Dip in Animal Welfare, and a BSc (Hons) in Anthropology and Psychology. An international presenter, editor, writer and mentor, Erin’s writing bridges research and practice with a focus on the intersection of philosophy, ethics and dog-centered behaviour practice. She is the author of Constructing Canine Consent and co-editor of Topics in Non/Human Coexistence and numerous academic and trade journal publications.